Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-01-06
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Cincinnati Merchants Now at the Cap.
ital Opposing the Passage Of the
Interstate Commerce Bill.
tary whitney Looking for a Gun-Foun-
dry Superintendent of Ability.
Correspondence of the Gazette.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-The more the
provisions of the ReaganC ullom inter-
state commerce bill are made plain the
greater the opposition that is developed
to it;on all sides appears. 1t will be the
tirstineasure Of wide Importance to come
Ge Ii the senate. The evident and recent
Increase of public interest in the measure
will only aid in bringing about its imme-
date consideration. The chances seem
to be largely that the bill will pass, but
not until a long discussion is had.
Senators Camden, Allison, Ingalls,,
spooner aud Cullom will certainly devote
considerable attention TO the subject,
while Senator Plstt will renew, with
special reference to the anti-pooliDg
clause, the opposition which he dispiayed
last session regarding certain proposed
features of the long and short-haul pro-
visions. Yet the men who criticise the
bill admit that it will probably pass, but
not in its present shape as reported by
the conference committee. AS Senator
Platt said this morning, at seems to me
that there will be disagreement
in accepting the conference report
regarding the inhibition of cooling, snd 8
reference for further conference. He
does not think the long and short haul
clause means much as it stands, and that
when "the shorter with The longer" sec
ton comes to be considered by courts, this
will be developed. He refuses to agree
to the anti pooling clause, and regarding
this he says: at is plain enough now
that all Interstate commerce, as
far as freight goes, is
rangements by the railroads. An absolute
prohibition of pooling would break up at
once, or, as the bill now reads, within
sixty days after its passage, every ar
rangement by which the interstate COM
merce business of this country is at pres
ent conducted. 1t seems to me that the
result may be an immediate rate war. At
least fhat is my apprehension, and 1 be
lieYe that the evils resulting will nave
more injurious effects upon the public
than any pooling contracts"
Senator Wilson of Iowa says about the
long and short haul: snow it is not IN
common for stations midway to have to
pay for transportation of freight both to
and from them double the rates charged
between the terminal poiots of the roads
on which they stand. This wrong is one
of the greatest causes of
the complaints from the people
relative to railroad management.
The practice proceeds on the theory that
it is the privilege Of the railroad to IN
load upon the hitherto helpless inter-
mediate stations sll burdens growing out
of bad management of the corporations.n
Senator Spooner OF Wisconsin thought
the bill would pass, for he found the
Democrats nearly unanimous for it. He
would like to see it modified somewhat.
Senator Sherman says: "The report
of the conference committee must either
be adopted or recomm tied. | think q
motion TO recommit for further reference
would be carried easily. About a motion
to adopt there would be more doubt
There seems to be considerable opposi-
ton both to the pooling and long and
sbort-haul clauses"
Gen. Malone Of Virginia expressed the
opinion that the passage of the bill would
be dangerous experiment.
Senator Beck of Kentucky, of course,
was ready tesee the railroads regulated,
if only for tie discipline of the thing He
thought anyone VINO tried to hurt the rail
sroads, wss foolish. The railroads had
buitti uss the country. But he had seen
enough of discrimination between per-
sons and places. Gen. Wade Hampton,
who Joined the conversation, did not give
the measure such unqualified Endorsement
He will support it, however.
Senator Frye of Maine said the rail
roads were making an unnecessary fuss
over the long and short-haul clauses He
did not think the bill was wha: it might
be made, but the public WAS demanding
an experiment in railroad regulation
Though he did not look for any startling
results in either direction, he was in
favor of having the experiment tried.
The Merchants and Manufacturers
Association of Cincinnati, at meeting
held December 80, adopted the following
resolutions, strenuously objecting to sec
tons and OF the bill. The resolutions
were forwarded to the senators and rep
resentatives in congress from Ohio:
"Whereas, the Reagan Cullom bill now
pending before congress, in some OF its
provisions aims at radical interference
with the business interests of tine coun-
try; and, although believing in national
control of interstate commerce to an eX
tent that will prevent unjust discrimina-
tions, and secure publicity, uniformity,
equality and steadiness in rates, fix the
liability OF common car: iers snd aid the
aegrieved shipper in obtaining redress;
therefore, be it
"Resolved, that the Merchants; and
Manufacturers Association of Cincinnati
disspprove of sections 4 and of said
bill.
"Resolved, that committee Of three
be appointed to visit Washington and